The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors conveying articles and more particularly to conveyor systems using static-electricity detectors to detect the electric charge on a conveyor conveying articles.
Many articles being conveyed on a transport surface must be maintained at, above, or below a specified static charge level. Examples include sensitive electronic devices that must be protected from excessive charge or discharge gradients and articles that must be charged for a specific purpose, such as for the electrostatic deposition of coatings. Typically, conveyors transporting static-sensitive articles include conductive coatings or constituents that dissipate electric charges or prevent them from building up. But adding conductive coatings or constituents alone to a conveyor belt cannot control the static level in the belt for variable ambient and production conditions. For articles that are sensitive to high static levels, or articles that must be charged, not sensing and controlling the conveyor surface static charge level can affect the quality of the product or the process.